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Fit It In: Fresh Food
By Marlee Mitchell
Last month I wrote about using more raw foods in our diet to
benefit our health. Now I want to present some easy
recipes and ideas to use them. The
timing couldn’t be better to experiment with
adding raw fruits and vegetables to
your meals and parties. Be the one to
bring big fresh salads with a good
dressing to a potluck or dinner party or a
crudite basket with gleaming fresh
vegetables and a healthy, tasty dip.
Since we are being bombarded at every angle with candies,
cookies and cakes filled with sugar and butter, it is even more
crucial to implement a new way of eating. For example you could make a
pact with yourself such as, “For every Valentine’s chocolate I eat, I will eat one-half cup
of fresh (raw) vegetables.” Or, at every meal, “I will have a salad.” If you eat these first,
you will be off to the best start possible by filling yourself with the healthy things before
the meats, sweets, and carbs. You will soon notice the increase in energy and may be
able to forfeit the rich items altogether. You won’t feel as full and lethargic. Oh, and you’ll
have less guilt.
To forestall digging into the chocolates and wine, why not start the day off with a healthy
low fat and very tasty favorite of mine. This stays with you a long time, too.
Be well for your Valentine. Remember to share and build traditions with those around
you. Feel Good! A good tip for keeping bananas on hand: when bananas start to get
spots on the skin, peel them and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces and put into Ziploc bags
or other plastic containers and into your freezer. Then they are there ready to go for this
dish and smoothies! I do the same with leftover pineapple, apples, and berries. This is
especially great when fruit is sparse and out of season.
Marlee’s Porridge
For two:
1 cup fresh or frozen berries — your choice. Mix them up or use one kind — raspberries
and blueberries are good.
One fresh or frozen banana, cut into 1/2-inch slices.
Two servings of favorite protein powder (amount according to serving size on box).
1 cup of fruit juice, fruit only — no sugar. Apple cider or juice works great and is plentiful
this time of year.
1/3 cup raw oats — uncooked. Can use whole or quick, whole is more nutritious.
1/3 cup of dried coconut flakes — unsweetened.
1/3 cup nuts/seeds, your choice — best are raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds,
pecans, walnuts, sesame.
4 tablespoons yogurt — unsweetened or lightly sweetened is best.
Dash of stevia, or teaspoon of honey, real maple syrup or other sweetener. Stevia is a
safe and healthy sweetener made only from plant substance. It is available in health
food stores in liquid or powder form as well as most supermarkets.
*Optional — for an extra cleansing boost and to help detoxify and give yourself more
energy and to catch up on the greens you haven’t been getting enough of, add one
¬serving of a super green product.
In a blender add bananas, berries, oats and coconut; then add nuts, protein powder and
green mix; then honey or stevia or other sweetener. Add juice. Blend in pulses until
chunky but not smooth. Pour into glasses or bowls. We like to eat it in glasses with a
spoon. This will keep in the fridge for 24 hours. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap that will
stick to the glass and won’t let any air in. If not covered tightly it will darken as it oxidizes
and will look less appetizing, but it is still good. Press’n’seal works great for this.
I use a protein powder, Wild Oats’ “Show Me the Whey” that has whey protein as the
primary ingredient. It is in the supplement section. It is sweetened with stevia only.
(Whatever you buy, check the ingredients as almost all protein powders have some form
of sugar in them.) It comes in chocolate and vanilla; vanilla is best as it is a milder flavor
and mixes well with the other ingredients. There is also a soy version of protein powder
for those who are strictly non-dairy. Whey protein doesn’t have the hormones from milk
and is easily digestible. The super green powder I get is from Garden of Life (www.
gardenoflife.com or iherb.com) and is called Perfect Food. There are many green
formulas out there. The people who work in the supplement sections at Amazing Grace,
Rainbow Blossom, Whole Foods Market, and Wild Oats can help you to decide which
one is best for you. It is a bit pricey but well worth the investment.
Marlee Mitchell (marleemitchell@iamtodayswoman.com) chef, started finding ways to fit
more nutritious food into her life after her battle with cancer.
By Marlee Mitchell
Last month I wrote about using more raw foods in our diet to
benefit our health. Now I want to present some easy
recipes and ideas to use them. The
timing couldn’t be better to experiment with
adding raw fruits and vegetables to
your meals and parties. Be the one to
bring big fresh salads with a good
dressing to a potluck or dinner party or a
crudite basket with gleaming fresh
vegetables and a healthy, tasty dip.
Since we are being bombarded at every angle with candies,
cookies and cakes filled with sugar and butter, it is even more
crucial to implement a new way of eating. For example you could make a
pact with yourself such as, “For every Valentine’s chocolate I eat, I will eat one-half cup
of fresh (raw) vegetables.” Or, at every meal, “I will have a salad.” If you eat these first,
you will be off to the best start possible by filling yourself with the healthy things before
the meats, sweets, and carbs. You will soon notice the increase in energy and may be
able to forfeit the rich items altogether. You won’t feel as full and lethargic. Oh, and you’ll
have less guilt.
To forestall digging into the chocolates and wine, why not start the day off with a healthy
low fat and very tasty favorite of mine. This stays with you a long time, too.
Be well for your Valentine. Remember to share and build traditions with those around
you. Feel Good! A good tip for keeping bananas on hand: when bananas start to get
spots on the skin, peel them and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces and put into Ziploc bags
or other plastic containers and into your freezer. Then they are there ready to go for this
dish and smoothies! I do the same with leftover pineapple, apples, and berries. This is
especially great when fruit is sparse and out of season.
Marlee’s Porridge
For two:
1 cup fresh or frozen berries — your choice. Mix them up or use one kind — raspberries
and blueberries are good.
One fresh or frozen banana, cut into 1/2-inch slices.
Two servings of favorite protein powder (amount according to serving size on box).
1 cup of fruit juice, fruit only — no sugar. Apple cider or juice works great and is plentiful
this time of year.
1/3 cup raw oats — uncooked. Can use whole or quick, whole is more nutritious.
1/3 cup of dried coconut flakes — unsweetened.
1/3 cup nuts/seeds, your choice — best are raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds,
pecans, walnuts, sesame.
4 tablespoons yogurt — unsweetened or lightly sweetened is best.
Dash of stevia, or teaspoon of honey, real maple syrup or other sweetener. Stevia is a
safe and healthy sweetener made only from plant substance. It is available in health
food stores in liquid or powder form as well as most supermarkets.
*Optional — for an extra cleansing boost and to help detoxify and give yourself more
energy and to catch up on the greens you haven’t been getting enough of, add one
¬serving of a super green product.
In a blender add bananas, berries, oats and coconut; then add nuts, protein powder and
green mix; then honey or stevia or other sweetener. Add juice. Blend in pulses until
chunky but not smooth. Pour into glasses or bowls. We like to eat it in glasses with a
spoon. This will keep in the fridge for 24 hours. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap that will
stick to the glass and won’t let any air in. If not covered tightly it will darken as it oxidizes
and will look less appetizing, but it is still good. Press’n’seal works great for this.
I use a protein powder, Wild Oats’ “Show Me the Whey” that has whey protein as the
primary ingredient. It is in the supplement section. It is sweetened with stevia only.
(Whatever you buy, check the ingredients as almost all protein powders have some form
of sugar in them.) It comes in chocolate and vanilla; vanilla is best as it is a milder flavor
and mixes well with the other ingredients. There is also a soy version of protein powder
for those who are strictly non-dairy. Whey protein doesn’t have the hormones from milk
and is easily digestible. The super green powder I get is from Garden of Life (www.
gardenoflife.com or iherb.com) and is called Perfect Food. There are many green
formulas out there. The people who work in the supplement sections at Amazing Grace,
Rainbow Blossom, Whole Foods Market, and Wild Oats can help you to decide which
one is best for you. It is a bit pricey but well worth the investment.
Marlee Mitchell (marleemitchell@iamtodayswoman.com) chef, started finding ways to fit
more nutritious food into her life after her battle with cancer.